Cache of 44 Byzantine-era solid gold coins uncovered in Israeli nature reserve
A cache of 44 pure gold coins from the Byzantine era was recently discovered during an archeological excavation at the Banius site within the Hermon River Nature Reserve, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced on Monday morning.
Upon the discovery of the coins, they were passed on to IAA numismatic expert Dr. Gabriela Bijovsky for examination. Bijovsky was able to identify several coins minted during the reign of Emperor Phocas (602–610 AD), as well as others minted during the reign of Emperor Heraclius between 610-641 AD.
The presence of coins minted by Heraclius towards the end of his reign help to place the cache of coins as being from around the time of the Muslim Conquest of the Levantine Byzantine Empire in 635 AD.
Read More: The Jerusalem Post